The Southern herald., 1887-05-07
AFRICAN PESTS.
They Range From the Disagreea-
~a BILE to the Deadly. ry
The Ant as Bone Pollsher and an Execu-
toner - The Thoughtful Musqulto
| n and "iottentot God''- Getting
Accustomed to Danger.


Africa there is located the crown colo
ny Natal. 1t is but little known to the
world at large, even at the present
time, and until few years ago, when
the Zulhs under Cetewayo fought the
British troops for long time success
fully and the tragic and mournful
death of the young Prince Imperial Of
France within its boundaries brought
it prominently into notice, it was al
most terra mcognito Yet, small as
it is in regard to territory and popula-
ton, it can hold its own with larger
and more pretentious countries in the
variety and countless number or its in
sects and reptiles. ! believe it was
Mark Twain, at any. rate it was an
American humorist, who, taking for a
subject the passage from Solomon. go
to the ant thou sluggard; consider her
ways and be wise,n says that for, q
long time he watched the movements
Of some ants, and he came to
the conclusion that for insane actions,
undecided movements, and unsatis-
factory resultshe could give to ants
the palm. Had he seen the ants of
South Africahis opinion would have
been vastly different. The termites,
or white ants, build for themselves
houses or hills Of an average height Of
three feet in diameter at the base, con.
ical in shape and some times adorned
with one or two pinnacles. In rare
cases the hills rise to height of four
or five feet, the substance of which
they are constructed--earth mixed
with secretion from their own bodies
being as hard as cement. Mixed
with water it is used in laying bricks
and as a covering for the floor of Kafir
kraals and the houses of the Dutch in
habitants. 1t makes a strong water
and damp proof floor. The ant houses
in the interior ale divided into apart.
.ments connected by galleries. The
ants have among themselves regular
guards and soldiers, who, when a
breach is made in their dwelling,
rush forth in its defense and muster
the working ants, who, curiously
enough, are without eyes, to re-
pair the damage, and in surprising.
ly short time the swarms of ants will
have effected all repairs and every
thing will be right and quiet again.
An animal dies on the Veldt; soon the
vultures will have torn off his hide and
devoured all of it excepting the bones
then the ants in their turn clean and
polish those so that within twenty -four
hours after death there will. remain
only the bones, smooth and polished in
side and out, and what was the day
previous living animal is now q dis
jointed and whitened skeleton. IA
These ants are most destructive tC
everything wooden. They attack ant
eat the door and window frame $, flool
timbers and floors of houses, making
no show Of their ravages on the ex-
terror, but devouring the wood unit
there remains only shell, and to thu
surprise of the dweller, the slammins
of a door or the dropping Of a window
may result in the total collapse of, it
frame, which falls in cloud of dust
The black ants make most remarkable
journeys or migrations, and when OF
the road travel in immense numbers
in body from foot to several yard
in width, and being from half an houl
/ to an hour in passing given point
In these journeys they turr
neither to the right hand no
the left, stopping only when coming
to water. Any obstruction like hous'
or tree they pass over swarming VI
one side and down the other. Shoult
they find an open door or window, wot
be to that house. The Kafirs in thei
cruel manner Of furnishing their enemies
sometimes fasten the poor victim to thu
ground in the way Of these ants, ant
he is almost devoured before life be
comes extinct. The insects viii no
leave the body until every bone is pol
ished. The ant hills are to the travelel
useful in one way, BY soooping on
one side and part Of the interior AM
making iire in the cavity, he has
mo t excellent oven, which retains tn,
/ Ii a we'll! / have eaten often breat
i ad meat baked in these primitive bu
] good ovens A peculiarly Of thes
ants Is that on q warm evening abou
| the middle Of March millions of then
with Minea. aaIa .e be the females